


The Mysterious Ways of Men

by moth2fic



Category: Temeraire - Naomi Novik
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-16
Updated: 2012-01-16
Packaged: 2017-10-29 16:13:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/321746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moth2fic/pseuds/moth2fic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Temeraire involves the other dragons in a matchmaking scheme.  The story begins at the end of Tongues of Serpents and so has spoilers for everything up to that point but nothing more than you would gather from the book cover blurbs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Mysterious Ways of Men

**Author's Note:**

> In the smallfandomfest challenge 2011, spikedluv prompted: Temeraire (Naomi Novik). Laurence/Granby. Matchmaker! Temeraire involves the other dragons in his matchmaking scheme.
> 
> I am well aware that this fic is likely to be overtaken by events in the next book - think of it as an AU. *g*
> 
> Many thanks to Fictionwriter (margaret_r) and fledge for the beta work.

“I think,” said Temeraire, “that our valley and our pavilion would be altogether more acceptable if my Laurence had someone to share his happiness.” He looked at the other three dragons in their promontory covert with a slight air of inquiry.

“You mean someone to cook for him?” Kulingile’s mind was on food, as usual.

“No,” said Iskierka. “Of course he doesn’t mean that. Sometimes you are very stupid but I suppose you are still very young.”

“No. I didn’t mean that at all,” Temeraire said. “As to who cooks,  
that is something for the whole company to work out, I think, and perhaps we can take cooks with us from the coast. I meant someone to share his pavilion and be a true companion.”

“Then perhaps he should look for a wife among the convicts.” Temeraire was not sure he could have heard Iskierka correctly so he made no response, but Kulingile replied to her straight away.

“I have not known Captain Laurence as long as you have, of course,” he began, “but I do not think that he would want a wife. Particularly if he did not need one to cook for him. He seems very happy in the company of men. A wife might,” he finished, “be a nuisance.” And having delivered himself of this profound observation he returned his attention to some kangaroo bones that he had unaccountably overlooked earlier.

Iskierka sniffed at the same moment that Temeraire said, “Precisely. Despite your youth you have seen to the heart of the problem.”

“I do not see that there is any problem at all,” said Iskierka. “Demane and Sipho are hardly likely to desert him and I am sure he enjoys their company. He certainly seems to like teaching them. Much more,” she added, “than we enjoy teaching you.” As Iskierka had never shown any interest whatsoever in teaching anyone, this last statement amazed all her listeners but no-one was willing to mention it.

“There is always my captain,” put in Caesar, and then pretended not to notice three pairs of eyes staring at him in disbelief. “I know they do not always get on well, but I am sure that in a peaceful valley...” His voice faltered. Nobody who knew Rankin and Laurence would imagine them ‘getting on’ in any way at all, peaceful surroundings or not.

“The problem,” said Temeraire, “is that my captain needs someone to love. Someone,” he added quickly, “who is not a dragon.” He knew that Laurence loved him, of course, but they were, after all, man and dragon, however much he might wish otherwise and in any case, it would not help to wish that, because it was only their difference in species that had brought them together.

The others were quiet, evidently mulling over his words. Then Iskierka said, quite quietly and thoughtfully, “And you do not think a convict woman or a native one would do.” She made it a statement rather than a question and Temeraire merely shook his great head in agreement.

“Then what can be done?” she asked. “There are no women here that I know of, or at least not any who would serve your purpose. None he could form an attachment to, I think, or who would be free to follow him to the valley.”

“You see,” said Temeraire, almost diffidently, “I thought Laurence showed a decided partiality for Granby.”

“Granby?” said Iskierka. “*My* Granby?” And she looked around as if to ascertain that there were not a number of other Granbys in the vicinity.

“Yes,” said Temeraire, and he waited for a further response from his fiery colleague.

“But they are both men.” There was a final note in her voice, dismissing the idea as foolish beyond belief.

“Why should that be a problem?” Temeraire sounded genuinely puzzled and Iskierka deigned to enlighten him. She enjoyed enlightening anyone and it was not often that she could indulge herself with Temeraire.

“Men do not choose other men as bosom companions,” she explained. “They cannot, after all, give each other eggs.”

“I do not see,” said Temeraire, “that that is so important. They have no need of an egg. And if Harcourt is any example of human egg bearing I would prefer Laurence not to...”

“Oh, Temeraire, Laurence could do no such thing! And that is my point. Nor could Granby and so they are not suited to each other.”

“I cannot believe that human emotions are completely bound up in the matter of eggs. Why, if dragons were to bond only with those they give eggs to they would be forced to remain with whoever was chosen for them in the breeding grounds. I should not like that at all and I cannot think Laurence would like it any better in human society.”

“But you must have noticed,” Iskierka said, “that humans are often bonded against their will by their parents. They marry, live together and produce eggs. Sometimes they do it of their own accord. Harcourt and Riley are a case in point. But they always choose someone of the opposite sex.”

“Always?” Caesar sounded doubtful and Iskierka turned to him.

“Always,” she said. “And I believe they have laws about it. Laurence cannot afford to break any more of their laws, I think.”

“Laws about who can and can not be an object of affection?” Temeraire was incredulous. “In any case, the government and its laws are a long way away, and although we have a governor here our valley will be a little out of his normal range of governing, I think. That is part of the point behind our plan to settle there, after all.”

“But Laurence himself conforms to the laws,” said Iskierka. “You *must* know about his liaison with Jane.”

“Well, yes,” said Temeraire, “but Jane is just as far away as the government, and I cannot think of any reason to make Laurence have his next liaison with someone exactly like Jane or of Jane’s gender. Besides,” he added with a tinge of satisfaction, “Laurence and Jane have never shown any desire to give each other eggs. Of course,” he added, “there was that young woman who was almost part of his family, the one who deserted him when it was clear he was my captain. But I do not think he ever even wanted her very much, and certainly he did not pine for her. She was, I think, someone who would have pleased his father and mother, and he would have liked that, but that was all. No, it is Granby who could satisfy him.”

Iskierka snorted and came perilously close to burning Caesar’s toes but Kulingile said, “He is right. I have seen the way they look at each other.”

“Of course I am right. Laurence is my captain.”

“And Granby is mine and I have never seen anything of the kind.”

“That, my dear Iskierka, is because you never see anything that is not all to do with you.” Temeraire’s last remark could have led to an angry scene but the various captains returned from eating and the dragons simmered quietly. Iskierka, Temeraire could not help noticing, was observing Granby more particularly than usual.

*************************************************************

The next day Iskierka made a kind of apology. “I have observed my captain,” she said, “and I think perhaps he has feelings for yours.” She gave Temeraire a sidelong look, daring him to say anything like, ‘I told you so.’

“Then we should try to help them to be together,” he said instead. “They will not, I think, approach each other without our help.”

“Our interference,” said Caesar. “I’m sure they know better than us what is expected of gentlemen.”

“But in the valley there will be no thoughts of gentlemen or society,” objected Temeraire.

“And in any case,” said Iskierka, “I do not see how we are to help. Do you want me to talk to Granby?”

Temeraire shuddered. “Not yet,” he said. “There are problems, after all. You are recalled to active duty and will be leaving. Laurence will be very sad, I think. Perhaps Granby will, too. What do you think we should do, Iskierka?” He hoped by asking her advice to make her think the entire idea was hers.

“Hmmmmm.” Iskierka remained silent for a moment, in deep thought, stroking one talon against another unconsciously. Then her eyes widened. “I can pretend to be enthusiastic for our travels and our fighting,” she said. “Granby will not think anything of it because he knows I am always eager for more spoils and jewels. Then I can pretend to be pining for.....”

“...for me?”

“Yes, perhaps for you. I am an excellent actress when I desire to be, you know. He will not wish me to be unhappy so he will think of a way to get us sent back to Australia. I am sure he will find one because he is so very clever.”

“And when you return you can come directly to the valley. When we have them there, with the new pavilion and no distractions such as war or bunyips or trading posts we can make sure they spend a great deal of time together and they will surely come to realise how much they mean to each other.”

“If not,” said Kulingile, looking up from a haunch of cassowary that everyone else had abandoned, “we might need simply to tell them what we have noticed.”

Temeraire and Iskierka were for once in agreement. Neither wished to confront their captains in such a direct manner. However, getting them together in the valley was the first priority. Iskierka was pleased with her idea of agreeing to go and then wanting to return.

“I could say I wanted another chance to persuade you to give me an egg,” she said.

“And if the idea works, if Laurence and Granby decide to live together in happiness, that leaves us thrown into each other’s company, Iskierka, and so perhaps you will get that chance after all.” He knew such a suggestion, hypothetical as it was at present, would encourage Iskierka to carry out her part of the plan with ardour.

And so the dragons dreamed and schemed and watched their captains carefully until at last Granby and Iskierka sailed off with Captain Riley, and Laurence and Temeraire were left to deal with the new regime in Australia.

***************************************************************

Six months later, Laurence came out of the new pavilion into the afternoon sunshine and curled up with a book between Temeraire’s claws.

“This is a book of political thoughts,” he said. “You might be interested in it, my dear.” He knew his dragon’s desire to understand human laws and government.

Temeraire peered over Laurence’s shoulder at the title. ‘The Prince’, by what sounded like an Italian author. Well, if Laurence thought he would be interested he would listen. “I am sure it will be a good book, Laurence, and will lead to some excellent discussion. I think Kulingile and Demane and Sipho should be part of this, too.” Laurence agreed and the group, called together, settled to listen.

It was warm. The cows, the makings of a fine herd, were lowing softly, turning their tails to the slight breeze, and there were some galahs chattering in the trees that bordered the little covert. For a covert it was, however few dragons it had at the moment. They all hoped to attract other settlers but meanwhile they were busy building and organising. And they were mostly content though occasionally Temeraire saw a wistfulness pass across Laurence’s face. Many of the crew were happy with their new lives, though a few had left and gone back to England, to families or sweethearts. Roland had gone. Jane had sent for her, reluctantly, according to the letter she wrote to Laurence, but considering her daughter’s future; it had been a wrench. There were no females in the valley, apart from the cows, but nobody had complained. There would soon be houses that would be fit for women if any could be persuaded to follow the men into what were still thought of as the wilds. They were all working with the long term in mind.

The boys were nodding, tired after a morning’s exertions, and even Temeraire was listening more to Laurence’s voice than to his words. A few flies irritated him, alighting on the corners of his eyes and serving to keep him awake. Laurence was brushing flies from his own eyes, an almost automatic action by now.

Suddenly the cows took off, as one, rushing for the far side of their field, almost falling over each other in their hurry. Temeraire saw a black dot, which at first he took to be an especially large fly, and then it grew larger and he sat up straight, knocking Laurence and the book to the ground.

Then Iskierka was landing quite near them, raising a dust cloud in the well-trodden earth of the centre of the little compound. And there was a familiar figure climbing down from her rigging and running across towards them.

Laurence picked himself up and stared, unbelieving, then a huge smile spread across his face. The men shook hands with great force. Temeraire thought they should have embraced but decided there would be plenty of time to bring them to a proper appreciation of each other. Or rather, he thought, an ability to express their appreciation because he had no doubt that it already existed. If there had been any uncertainty, the looks they exchanged as they met again would have blown it away on the breeze.

Granby was all explanation about Iskierka’s desire to return. Iskierka looked smug, and Temeraire was happy with the success of his scheme. His captain should have his heart’s desire in spite of himself.

“Captain Granby,” he said, “you will like to see the interior of the pavilion. It will suit you very well. Laurence has planned exquisite living quarters, with furniture and inlays of local wood.”

Granby looked puzzled. “I am sure it is all you say, Temeraire,” he said, “but it need not suit me. It is for Laurence, after all. Iskierka and I will have to erect our own pavilion. Meanwhile the weather is so balmy I am sure I can do very well out here with her. We are quite used to sleeping wherever we find ourselves, you know.”

“Well,” said Kulingile, bluntly, “it is to be hoped it suits you because they built it with you in mind. Even though you were not here. Temeraire kept saying you would return. And here you are. Of course you will live with Laurence. Everyone knows that.” He had the sense, it seemed, not to mention the planning Temeraire and Iskierka had done, and as Iskierka had already moved away to help herself to a cow, nobody admonished him for his forwardness.

Laurence’s face was the red of the earth, redder than his exposure to the sun would have suggested. Granby, on the other hand, was trying not to laugh and had hidden his mouth with his hand. They were looking at each other and Temeraire suddenly realised that he would not need to do much matchmaking. His only task would be to persuade the pair that they could flout society’s conventions here at the end of nowhere. He looked from one to the other, noting that beneath the deep blush Laurence looked happier than he had since Riley’s ship had sailed with Iskierka and Granby aboard.

“That’s settled then,” he said contentedly. “We shall all go on very comfortably now.”

Laurence looked again at his friend and smiled ruefully. “It seems our dragons know us better than we thought,” he said. Granby grinned and they linked arms as they went into the pavilion.

“And as I have played my part and come back here where I cannot win any more prize ships,” said Iskierka, turning back towards Temeraire with an inscrutable expression, somewhat marred by the cow’s tail hanging out of her mouth, “I presume I am to get my reward?”

“An egg?” said Temeraire. “Certainly, my dear. After all, we will need something to occupy us. Our captains will have little time for anyone but each other for a long while, I think.”

 

FIN


End file.
